Tube cutter



2 Sheets-Sheet l J. G. JOHNSTON TUBE CUTTER March 14, 1950 Filed Feb. 12, 1948 March 14, 1950 J. G. JOHNSTON vTUBE CUTTER l 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2, 1948 Inventor John 6. Johns/0n Wwe? 5mm latented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBE CUTTER John G.,Johnston, Los Angeles, Calif.

` Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,793

1 Claim. (Cl. 164-60)l This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in tube cutters, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein de scribed, which may be conveniently and eiectively employed for the cutting of tubes, pipes, rods, round bars, and the like. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a tube cutter which is simple in construction, which may be easily and conveniently manipulated, and which will effectively cut the tube, or the like, without causing damage to the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube cutter which will not easily become damaged, which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture, and which is otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specication proceeds, the invention con- R, sists essentially of the arrangement and construc- "ij-ion off parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in` which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the invention;

Figre 2 is a front elevational view thereof, and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken sub- 'stantiauy in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Like clnaracters of reference are employed to desigatg/...flike parts in the specication and through'ut the several views.

Refrring now to the accompanying drawings n/detil, the invention.y consists of a tube cutter esignated generallyf'by the reference character ln ,the same embodying in its construction a suitgable stand II ,includinga pair of end pieces or legs I2 which are rigidly secured together at the upper end thereof by means of a substantially horizontal, inverted U-shaped channel I3.

This channel constitutes what will hereinafter 4be referred to as a bed, the same being adapted to rotatably 4receive the work, namely, a piece of tubular stock, indicated by the reference character I4.

The bed I3 is of elongated conguration, and a pair of projecting members I5 are secured to the mid portion of the bed as will be clearly apparent.

These members (I5) in turn, car-ry a pair of axially aligned bearing blocks I6 in which a shaft I1 is rotatably journaled, the latter carrying a substantially cylindrical driving drum I9, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

A pair of further leg members 20 are secured to the mid portion of the bed I3, the members 20 being similar to the aforementioned members I2, and a carrier 2I is pivotally attached as at 22 to the members 20, matters being so arranged that the carrier 2I is swingable upwardly and downwardly, as indicated at 23.

An electric motor 24 is mounted on the carrier 2|, the armature 25 of this motor being provided with a pulley 26 which, in turn, is connected by a belt 21 to a relatively large pulley 28 secured to a shaft 29.

The shaft 29 is rotatably journaled in suitable bearing blocks 39 provided on the carrier ZI, and also carries a drum 3|, operatively connected by means of two or more belts 32 to the aforementioned drum I9.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that ro tation of the motor armature 25 will produce rotation of the drum I9 at a relatively reduced rate of speed, and the weight of the pivoted carrier 2l will, of course, assure that the belts 32 are maintained in a taut position at all times, so as to eliminate the possibility of slipping.

An arm 33 is pivotally attached as at 34 to the leg members 20, the upper end of this arm carrying a rotatable cutter wheel 35, while the lower end of the arm is pivoted as at 33 to a link 31 which, in turn, is pivoted as at 38 to one arm 39 of a bell crank 49. This bell crank is fulcrumed as at 4I upon a shaft 42 provided on the leg members 20 and the remaining arm of the bell crank is congurated so as to provide what may be referred to as a foot pedal 43.

Matters are so arranged that when the invention is placed in use, downward pressure applied to the foot pedal 43 (in the direction of the arrow 44) will cause the rotatable cutter wheel 35 to press against the tube I4 which is to be cut (see arrow 45), this action urging the tube I4 in frictional contact with the periphery of the rotatable drum I9. Of course, the drum I9, by virtue of its rotation, will impart rotation to the tube I4 and also, to the cutter wheel 35, and as a result, the tube will be severed.

If desired, the drum I9 may be formed in the periphery thereof with annular grooves or channels adapted to receive the belt or belts 32, so that the tube I4 frictionally engages the actual periphery of the drum I9, rather than the belts 32, as shown in the accompanying drawings.

To assist and materially hasten the cutting operation, the bed may be formed with a suitable recess wherein a further cutter wheel 43 may be rotatably mounted on a suitable stub shaft 41 the wheel 46, of course, being disposed in the plane of the wheel 35, as will be readily under stood. Moreover, the bed I3 may be equipped with a plurality of sets of upstanding guide members 48, which will eiectively facilitate the application of the Work to the bed.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While inv thev foregoing there has been 'shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that mino'" changes in the details of construction, combinar. tion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and 'scope and drivingv belt passing around said pulley and said drum, a movable cutting element disposed at the remaining side of said bed and urging the Work in frictional engagement with said belt, and combined means for rotating said shaft and maintaining said belt in a taut condition, said means comprising an elongated and substantiallyhorizontal supporting member pivoted at one end thereof to said stand and-having saidv shaft jour- 'ald on itsl intermediate portion, and a motor mounted on the free end portion of said member and operatively connected to said shaft.

JOHN G. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing. references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Fahrney 1ers-1 1 Mar. 13, 1934 

